Juvenile fish

These larval hatchlings are not yet capable of feeding themselves and carry a yolk sac which provides stored nutrition.

Before the yolk sac completely disappears, the young fish must mature enough to be able to forage independently.

[10] Juvenile coastal fish are drawn to turbid shallow waters and to mangrove structures, where they have better protection from predators.

[11][12] As the fish grow, their foraging ability increases and their vulnerability to predators decreases, and they tend to shift from mangroves to mudflats.

[13] In the open sea juvenile species often aggregate around floating objects such as jellyfish and Sargassum seaweed.